posted 05-12-2013 06:35 PM
A revised version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity," recorded by out-going Expedition 35 commander Chris Hadfield on board the International Space Station.

Video removed; see below for explanation.

Grounded!Member

Posts: 181From: Bennington, Vermont, USARegistered: Feb 2011

posted 05-12-2013 07:40 PM
Nice cover fron Commander Hadfield. If I were up there, I'd spend all my off time in that cupola!

jtheoretMember

Posts: 104From: Albuquerque, NM USARegistered: Jul 2003

posted 05-12-2013 10:37 PM
Love it!

RonpurMember

Posts: 482From: Brandon, FlRegistered: May 2012

posted 05-13-2013 06:28 AM
That is fantastic!!

topmilerMember

Posts: 115From: eastleigh, hampshire, UKRegistered: Jul 2012

posted 05-13-2013 10:38 AM
Sorry chaps, I find it all a bit tacky really. What's next, 'get me out of here, I'm a celebrity in space'.

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 29589From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 05-13-2013 10:57 AM
Hadfield is a musician. He writes songs, he performs with the bands Max Q and Bandella, and has been using his music from space to engage a nationwide audience of Canadians (if not also the rest of the world).

Throughout his expedition, he and his son have been posting on Reddit. One of the questions he posed was what he should sing and "Space Oddity" was upvoted.

alanh_7Member

Posts: 1014From: Ajax, Ontario, CanadaRegistered: Apr 2008

posted 05-13-2013 11:47 AM
Hadfield has done an excellent job, posting photos, doing live broadcasts to classrooms answering questions from school kids in an attempt to get them excited about space and science, music perhaps even hockey (go Leafs go).

Hadfield has done a wonderful job and represented Canada and the space program with pride enthusiasm and fun. Great work.

YankeeClipperMember

Posts: 293From: Dublin, IrelandRegistered: Mar 2011

posted 05-13-2013 12:56 PM

quote:Originally posted by topmiler:What's next, 'get me out of here, I'm a celebrity in space'?

Well now that you mention it, Sarah Brightman is on course to play the ISS next.

There's no performer in the world who wouldn't relish the prospect of playing off the coolest stage in the world to a global audience while doing 17,000+ mph.

Just imagine The Boss playing Radio Nowhere live from the ISS... that would have to be the coolest gig in history!

(Just read that on May 14-15 1971, Springsteen played a couple of concerts as Dr. Zoom & The Sonic Boom!)

star61Member

Posts: 270From: Bristol UKRegistered: Jan 2005

posted 05-13-2013 04:15 PM
Tacky? I thought it was quite wonderful... maybe not in the old test pilot Apollo "right stuff" way of doing things but quite wonderful none the less.

With all the bad things people seem to like doing on this pale blue dot, it makes a rather pleasant change to see such as this.

AJMember

Posts: 511From: Plattsburgh, NY, United StatesRegistered: Feb 2009

posted 05-13-2013 07:01 PM
I have repeatedly heard Alan Bean say that we should be sending artists, musicians and poets into space. How fortunate that Chris Hadfield is an outstanding astronaut, as well as a talented speaker and musician. He has been a great presence and has done a lot of activities to encourage schoolchildren to be interested in science and space exploration in particular. We need more astronauts like him.

GACspaceguyMember

Posts: 1556From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006

posted 05-13-2013 07:38 PM

quote:Originally posted by topmiler:Sorry chaps, I find it all a bit tacky really.

Hey if this causes my 81 year old mom to call and ask if I have heard the cool song our Canadian commander sung on the ISS, I am all over it. I thought it was done well and a great remix of a classic song.

Seriously, like others here I've thoroughly enjoyed Hadfield's stint on the ISS...the singing, the awesome Twitter pics, the educational (and just fun!) videos of all the cool stuff you can do in microgravity.

Hadfield seems like a natural performer, and I applaud his efforts to engage the public at large--especially schoolkids. If his "antics" cause a few of them to say, "I wanna do THAT when I grow up!", or if they pique the interest of people like Fred's mom and the public that pays NASA's way...more power to him.

MarylandSpaceMember

Posts: 1043From: Registered: Aug 2002

posted 05-13-2013 08:55 PM
During the April 2012 Discovery Enterprise "exchange" at Udvar-Hazy I met Astronaut Paolo Nespoli and addressed him as Major Nespoli as that is his rank.

He broke out in "Ground Control to Major Paolo" ala David Bowie.

I do think Chris Hadfield's version is well sung and well shot. I will put it on my YouTube playlist.

GoesTo11Member

Posts: 1138From: Denver, CO USARegistered: Jun 2004

posted 05-13-2013 09:46 PM
Speaking of Chris Hadfield...it's probably for the best that he was too busy to watch the Leafs game tonight.

cjh5801Member

Posts: 181From: TumwaterRegistered: Jun 2009

posted 05-14-2013 12:17 PM
Best music video ever.

alanh_7Member

Posts: 1014From: Ajax, Ontario, CanadaRegistered: Apr 2008

posted 05-14-2013 06:55 PM

quote:Originally posted by GoesTo11:Speaking of Chris Hadfield...it's probably for the best that he was too busy to watch the Leafs game tonight.

Now that's mean.

GonzoMember

Posts: 502From: Lansing, MI, USARegistered: Mar 2012

posted 05-14-2013 08:27 PM
I too thought at first that this would be tacky so I avoided reading this thread. I'm pleased to say I'm VERY glad I watched it tonight and only wish now that I'd watched it sooner.

He did a wonderful thing here. Not only was it sung to a classic space tune, the video was stunning and poignant. Great message and while I can't imagine the work it took to put this together on the ISS, I'm sure it was fun doing it all the same.

Wonderful job, Chris! Destined to be a classic (space-geek) video!

dogcrew5369Member

Posts: 601From: Statesville, NCRegistered: Mar 2009

posted 05-14-2013 11:30 PM
Incredible music video. I loved it and shared it on Facebook for all my non-space friends to see. I think it helps bring to those who don't follow the space program a little publicity even as ridiculous as it may seem to others. For many people they only care about being entertained and why not let a rocker astronaut do it. Incredible as it sounds, many people don't even know we have astronauts on a space station. Maybe it will pick their interest. Unfortunately my local news talking heads thought Hadfield had lipsynched the music. How little they know. Some astronauts can sing.

daboltonMember

Posts: 297From: Minooka IL, USRegistered: Jan 2009

posted 05-15-2013 09:33 AM
Although I thought this was wonderful, I think David Bowie doing it on a tourism flight would be even better. Im betting he knows Richard Branson personally.

(I also understand he had another duet in mind with a Canadian pop singer that would have been a lot of fun, but apparently didn't come together in time.)

Grounded!Member

Posts: 181From: Bennington, Vermont, USARegistered: Feb 2011

posted 05-15-2013 11:51 AM
Robert, I am glad to see you give the ISS video a bump. I was a little surprised that it did not get more comments when you originally posted it. In my opinion, it is a very inspirational, original song that deserves a place at the same table as the works by Elton John, Bowie and the others.

Henk BoshuijerMember

Posts: 389From: NetherlandsRegistered: May 2007

posted 05-15-2013 12:37 PM
I like the video very much. I wonder what David Bowie thinks of Hadfield's version. Did he see it or made made any comments regarding this video?

It's possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created and you may recognise the name of one of those involved in its creation.

We're talking about Chris's fellow Canadian, the lovely Emm Gryner, who was a part of the Bowie live band in 1999/2000. Here's what she said on her blog regarding her involvement:

"The task was in front of me. I came up with a piano part. i then enlisted my friend, producer and fellow Canadian Joe Corcoran to take my piano idea and Chris' vocal and blow it up into a fully produced song. Drums! mellotrons! fuzz bass! We also incorporated into the track ambient space station noises which Chris had put on his Soundcloud. I was mostly blown away by how pure and earnest Chris' singing is on this track. Like weightlessness and his voice agreed to agree.

And voila! And astronaut sings Space Oddity in space! I was so honoured to be asked to be a part of this. You wouldn't get too many chances to make a recording like this and not only that, to make music with someone who - through his vibrant communications with kids in schools to his breathtaking photos to his always patient and good-humoured demeanour - has done more for science and space than anyone else this generation. Planet earth IS blue, and there's nothing left for Chris Hadfield to do. Right. Safe travels home Commander!"

Dan LorraineMember

Posts: 367From: Cranston, R.I.Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-16-2013 06:55 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed this rendition ... but I will have to say, Bowie's still got him on this one!

dogcrew5369Member

Posts: 601From: Statesville, NCRegistered: Mar 2009

posted 05-17-2013 01:30 PM
I'd like to know who was behind the camera. Too bad Marshburn wasn't involved since he plays guitar. That might have created some buzz here in Statesville. Tom is a fitting name even if he isn't a major.

alanh_7Member

Posts: 1014From: Ajax, Ontario, CanadaRegistered: Apr 2008

posted 05-23-2013 03:32 PM
Anyone know what Chris Hadfield did with his guitar? That would be a tight fit bringing it back in that Soyuz capsule.

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 29589From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 05-23-2013 04:51 PM
The Larrivée Parlor acoustic guitar on the space station is not Hadfield's — it has been on orbit since being delivered by space shuttle Discovery's STS-105 mission in 2001.

It remains on the space station for other crew members to play.

Cliff LentzMember

Posts: 650From: Philadelphia, PA USARegistered: Mar 2002

posted 05-24-2013 08:16 PM
I think Chris took full advantage of his time on the ISS between his Facebook and Twitter presence as well as his music. I didn't see it as tacky or self promotional in any way. It seemed to me that he knew this was it for him and it was his way of saying goodbye to the fabulous experience of living in space.

What a great piece of memorabilia that will be someday. I hope when the time comes to close the hatches for the last time they have that on the return checklist.

Maybe a nice piece for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

GonzoMember

Posts: 502From: Lansing, MI, USARegistered: Mar 2012

posted 05-27-2013 05:36 PM

quote:Originally posted by Cliff Lentz:I think Chris took full advantage of his time on the ISS between his Facebook and Twitter presence as well as his music. I didn't see it as tacky or self promotional in any way. It seemed to me that he knew this was it for him and it was his way of saying goodbye to the fabulous experience of living in space.

Very well said, Chris L. I'd like to think it goes a bit further though. While re-watching it yet again, I can see your point. This was a very sentimental way of saying good-bye to a life he knows and is respected for too well. Yet at the same time, it is also a beacon to the rest of us of how fragile and precarious all we do actually is, from the thought of spaceflight itself, to life on this blue marble as well. My point is that it also points out this fragility and how small this planet actually is; how interconnected and interdependent everything is here.\

And I'll say it again. Hats off to Chris Hadfield for a job well done. Not just with this video, but all you have done for all of us, in ways you can't even imagine. From inspiring kids to look at science to old farts like me who grew up watching the "space race" actually happen.

GonzoMember

Posts: 502From: Lansing, MI, USARegistered: Mar 2012

posted 05-27-2013 05:39 PM
Oh, and it would be VERY interesting to see Chris Hadfield post his views on our comments here too.

Robert PearlmanEditor

Posts: 29589From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999

posted 05-13-2014 08:57 AM
Chris Hadfield's copyright lease to use David Bowie's "Space Oddity" song expires today (May 13) and thus his space music video rendition of it will be taken offline. From Hadfield on Twitter:

Bowie's last day - we had permission for a year, so our Space Oddity video comes down today.

MarylandSpaceMember

Posts: 1043From: Registered: Aug 2002

posted 05-13-2014 11:01 PM
I just got my final viewing of Space Oddity before midnight... I like both Hadfield's cover and the Bowie original.